$30K at NYLS...worth it?

[...] while my (and I'm assuming your) scholarship is dependent on being in the top 15%, I think I can hold it [...]

This is not good logic. Top 15% is tough for anyone anywhere. Do not assume you can be in the top of your class. Everyone will be working toward it, so there is no guarantee you will be on of the ones who will.

That being said, there is nothing wrong with busting your ass, working hard, and trying for it. Just don't take it for granted.

[...] while my (and I'm assuming your) scholarship is dependent on being in the top 15%, I think I can hold it [...]

This is not good logic. Top 15% is tough for anyone anywhere. Do not assume you can be in the top of your class. Everyone will be working toward it, so there is no guarantee you will be on of the ones who will.

That being said, there is nothing wrong with busting your ass, working hard, and trying for it. Just don't take it for granted.

Oh, I'm not taking it for granted at all. It's just a prediction. I understand your position, but without going into my situation and background, I know I'll bust my ass. If you're curious, PM me and I'll clue you in.

Oh, I'm not taking it for granted at all. It's just a prediction. I understand your position, but without going into my situation and background, I know I'll bust my ass. If you're curious, PM me and I'll clue you in.

i'm curious.

I just sent MahlerGrooves the long of it, and I was going to forward it, but it's not in my outbox for some reason. I'll give you the short of it. I have at least a dozen people (mostly family) close to me that are involved in law in some capacity- and every one is successful. They all push me to do my best, and tell me the good and the bad about law school, so I know how to prepare, as well as having a backbone of support for any last minute questions:)

Also, looking at LSN, it appears that my life experience didn't count at all, but the fact of the matter is that I had some really difficult times trying to get a decent GPA. Trying to pass classes like Fluid Mechanics or Optical Physics when you're on medicines that halve your thinking speed is incredibly difficult. Luckily, I'm on medicine now that doesn't have that side effect. I have no doubt that, if healthy and with a slightly easier major, I would have been sitting pretty.

As for my LSAT score, I wish it were better, but the fact of the matter is, as a working engineer, I'm not exposed to words as much as someone who got their BS in English or Poly Sci. As an engineer, you're trained on visual cues- something that isn't measured at all on the test. As long as I work hard and apply myself, I'm confident that things will turn out alright. Nothing in life's a given, and I know that from experience- but I think that with some dedication, I should be able to do well. Also, 60k for doing well is a might fine motivator haha

I am really not sure about NYLS. I am really uncomfortable with the pressure of having to be in the top 15% to keep the scholarship, because honestly if you lose the scholarship, the school is not worth the price tag. I have offers at other schools that are a bit more forgiving. We all know we will work hard, that doesn't mean we will all end up in top 15%. It's a tightrope. Have you sent in a seat deposit? How does the new building look? I'm scheduled to visit soon.

I am really not sure about NYLS. I am really uncomfortable with the pressure of having to be in the top 15% to keep the scholarship, because honestly if you lose the scholarship, the school is not worth the price tag. I have offers at other schools that are a bit more forgiving. We all know we will work hard, that doesn't mean we will all end up in top 15%. It's a tightrope. Have you sent in a seat deposit? How does the new building look? I'm scheduled to visit soon.

I haven't sent in the deposit yet- hopefully Brooklyn sends me an acceptance and an offer, but who knows, apparently they're notoriously slow. I'm going to NYC in May, so I was going to check out the new building then. But from what I've read online through various sources, such as the NY Times, it's an architectural marvel. It won't open until late 2008, from what I've heard, but all the renderings look incredible, and it looks like a place I'd enjoy spending long hours.

At BLS, the requirement to keep your scholarship used to be top 1/3, but candidates even thought that was too stringent of a requirement, so the school changed it to top 1/2. Top 15% is pretty serious. All it takes is your computer crashing half-way through one of your 1L exams & your scholarship might be gone.

i'm unconvinced, but wish you the best of luck regardless if you choose to take this option.

i think you should come back in a year and talk about how it worked out for you.

I should probably refer you to my LSN (same user name). Honestly, I don't have many options. If I attend Seton Hall or St. John's, and keep my scholarship all 3 years, the assistance would be approximately equal to the one guaranteed year at NYLS. As for convincing you that I'm capable, I promise I'll find my way back onto here, hopefully doing well:) Thanks for the well wishes.